Fresh panel of five ex-judges sent to ACC to pick Delhi Metro FFC chairman

The Urban Development Ministry has sent a fresh list containing names of five retired judges for selection of chairman of Delhi Metro Fare Fixation Committee, after five earlier proposals were rejected by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC).

New Delhi: The Urban Development Ministry has sent a fresh list containing names of five retired judges for selection of chairman of Delhi Metro Fare Fixation Committee, after five earlier proposals were rejected by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC).

A fresh list has been sent to the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) for obtaining the approval of ACC, sources in the Urban Development Ministry said.

After the rejection of earlier five panels, this time the Urban Development Ministry has sent the maximum names of five retired judges after procuring the list from the Law Ministry, the sources said.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had declined the last proposal with names of three retired judges in February 24 this year, with direction to bring a fresh list for selection of chairperson and two members of Fare Fixation Committee.

Names of an Additional Secretary of the Urban Development Ministry and the Principal Secretary (Finance/Vigilance) of Delhi Government have been suggested as the committee members.

The Ministry had sent the first panel with the name of one retired judge in December 18, 2012, which was declined in February 7, 2013. Another proposal was sent in March 21, 2013, and was rejected in April 26 that year. The third proposal was sent to DoPT in October 31, 2013 and rejected on December 11. The ACC rejected the fourth proposal on March 26, 2014.

Fares of Delhi Metro were last revised in 2009 when the minimum fare was raised from Rs 6 to Rs 8 and the maximum from Rs 22 to Rs 30.

Since then there has been a significant increase in input cost including 94 per cent rise in power tariff. In the past three years, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has made several requests to the Urban Development Ministry for constitution of FFC for raising fares.

Delhi Metro can revise its fares only on recommendation of the three-member Fare Fixation Committee constituted by the central government from time to time.